Happy New Year

A very boring title I’m afraid – that time of year when my braincells are currently trying to re-group and remember how to function. Just got back to Camberley after hanging out with Chris and his chums in Golders Green for most of the last week. This was my first visit that far north in London and it was quite loverley – a relaxed residential haven that only takes about 30 minutes to get you into Leicester Square. Golders Green is also remarkable for a London suburb that doesn’t have amazingly restrictive parking, definately a blessing (and a quick thanks to mum for lending me her car there).

New Years Eve was again spent at Whirl-y-gig, a hippy, trancey dancey thing where you bring your own booze and is consequently a very cheap night out. The crowd there is very chilled and friendly indeed, totally luverley and I met a lot of really nice folk, both random and mates of Chris.

Now the excitement has started to wear off with the hangover and I’m faced with the reality of a month closing down my affairs in New York City and preparing for another chapter in my life to start – Matt the World Traveller. Hmm… all sounds a bit Harry Potter to me (of which I have to say the third book in the series is the best so far, but the film is unmitigated shite – go see Lord of the Rings instead, it’s wonderful).

2001 highlights and thanx to (in no particular order):

Alexa – for teaching me so much about photography and everything else.

Culebra – a small island off Puerto Rico where I saw turtles laying their eggs on my most amazing night ever so far (and thanks to Tim for getting us there).

Aimi – for fun, support and a great cooked breakfast.

Alicia – for re-awakening my wander lust even if I wasn’t ready to wander at that time.

Max & Kelle – for being them and being there.

Chris – for chilled out fun and conversations about nothing and everything.

AccuWeather – for teaching me so much, with special thanks to Parsh Mehta, Martin Sheridan, Jim Greco and Brian Amamoto.

Guiliani – for showing why he’s always been the right Mayor for New York – calm, competent and caring (even if he’s not so keen on dancing). My thoughts are still with all those who lost loved ones on September 11th.

And all my family – for just being them.

ps, this website can now only be reached through ultrahi.tripod.com (not matthewhobbs.net or sushification.com). I realized I was spending a bomb on owning names I didn’t really use so I stopped paying and a few months later Network Solutions actually noticed!